8 More STAR WARS Spinoffs We Need To See Following The Recent Release Of ROGUE ONE
With Rogue One: A Star Wars Story nearing $1 billion at the box office, Anthology movies are clearly here to say, and these are the characters we need to see receive the spotlight in the near future...
As of right now, we have no idea what the future holds in store for the Star Wars Saga beyond Episode IX. However, if the success of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story proves anything, it's that these Anthology spinoffs are here to stay, especially if Han Solo is also a hit next year. So, with that in mind, what could follow those two as movies which stand by themselves as worthy entries in this beloved franchise?
There are a lot of different charaters who deserve the spotlight, and if Rogue One proved anything, it's that they don't necessarily have to be ones we know. What you'll find here then is a look at eight different spinoffs we'd like to see brought to the big screen, some revolving around heroes and villains who will be instantly familiar, and others taking us to a different side of this Galaxy Far, Far Away!
8. Yoda
I'm still not convinced when it comes to the idea of a movie revolving around Yoda, but I can definitely see the appeal. This one would obviously need to be set before the prequels (because it would frankly just be depressing to watch him wander around Dagobah slowly going senile), and that opens the door to a previously unexplored piece of Star Wars history for Lucasfilm to delve into with new characters, planets, and an even greater exploration of the formation of the Jedi.
Seeing as Yoda is over 900 years old, there are limitless options when it comes to which parts of his life to focus on, and spending some time with him as a youngster would certainly be unique. Whether they can find the right story is tough to say, but a film like this would give us the opportunity to see an ancient part of this Galaxy which has gone unexplored up until this point, and that alone makes the prospect of this one particularly exciting.
7. Rogue Two
Considering the fact that Rogue One: A Star Wars Story killed off all of its lead characters, it's pretty obvious that we won't be getting a direct sequel, but would it be too strange for a Rogue Two to be released which delves into how the plans of the second Death Star were stolen? We know that "many Bothans" died to bring the Rebellion that information, and surely that's a story which could be explored on the big screen somewhere down the line?
Forced ties to the first movie like one of the characters being related to those heroes would be completely unnecessary, but an opportunity exists here to tell a story which could be a genuinely interesting addition to the overal canon. Do we need this movie? No, but the same thing could be said for Rogue One, so there's absolutely no reason not to tell this so long as a decent story can be put together with some compelling characters...even if they are all Bothans!
6. The First Order
While meeting Finn gave us some insight into the workings of The First Order in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, it still feels like a movie exploring the life of a group of Stormtroopers has the potential to be really fascinating. This wouldn't necessarily have to be another redemption story either; bear in mind that these soldiers believe they're in the right, so following things from their perspective with the focus on a squad as they're sent to take on the Resistance would be really different and might shed some light on a side of this world we've never really had the chance to look at in that way.
This would basically be the opposite of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and if we get Kylo Ren and General Hux cameos, then this would really be something. In fact, this movie could even build the greater mythology as we learn more about how The First Order was put together and the role Supreme Leader Snoke played in that.
5. Poe Dameron
Poe Dameron emerged as one of Star Wars: The Force Awakens' most popular characters, and while he'll no doubt have a much more significant role in Episode VIII and beyond, there are definitely some very interesting places that a solo outing could take the ace pilot. For starters, seeing how he became part of the Resistance would be a lot of fun, but the fact that this could essentially be the Rogue Squadron movie fans have been hoping to see for years is what's really exciting.
A comic book prequel released back in 2015 shed some light on Poe's parents, so there would be no need to explore that particular area of the pilot's life, and with a heavy focus on aerial combat, this has the potential to be something special. With the X-Wing/TIE Fighter action in The Force Awakens and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story proving to be a real highlight, an entire movie of that would be very exciting indeed.
4. Boba Fett
We now know that the Star Wars movie Josh Trank was going to direct would have revolved around Boba Fett, but the studio's decision to ditch him following reports of his erratic behaviour on the set of the Fantastic Four reboot has seen it pushed back to who knows when. However, with rumours of the bounty hunter showing up in Han Solo's forthcoming movie, I would be very shocked if Fett isn't the focus of the third of these Anthology movies with that being made official at this year's Star Wars Celebration.
He's such a fan-favourite that Disney and Lucasfilm must realise they have a guaranteed hit on their hands, and there are a lot of very interesting places in this Galaxy that a character like Fett can take us. Yes, we know all about his childhood, but the massive gaps in his life are just dying to be filled in, and any one of those could end up making for a fascinating adventure on the big screen regardless of whether or not it ties into the greater mythology.
3. Luke Skywalker
While it's questionable just how much we need a Han Solo movie exploring his origin story, one delving into where Luke Skywalker went next after defeating his father and the Emperor is essential. This one could build right up to the moment he establishes the new Jedi Order we know Kylo Ren destroys, and while we're not doubt going to learn more about what Luke's been up to when Episode VIII is released, there's no way that release is going to have time to properly explore his quest to bring peace back to the Galaxy as a Jedi Knight.
This movie would also be the perfect place to utilise the scrapped idea from The Force Awakens of having Hayden Christensen return as Anakin/Vader to guide Luke as a Force Ghost. We don't need a movie delving into Luke's youth, so this one makes a lot of sense, especially as other fan-favourite characters could make cameo appearances. The only hard thing about Luke Skywalker would be casting!
2. Darth Vader
If you weren't convinced before Rogue One: A Star Wars Story that Darth Vader should have his own movie, then that scene set on Mustafar and the incredible lightsaber sequence at the end should have you desperate for the return of the Sith Lord in a solo outing. Yes, the story of Anakin Skywalker has been well explored at this stage, but there's a big chunk of his life which we've yet to delve into, and that's what happened following the events of Revenge of the Sith.
A movie revolving around Anakin dealing with his transformation into Darth Vader and taking over the Galaxy with Emperor Palpatine would be fascinating, and basically making a villain the lead on one of these spinoffs would be an interesting challenge for whoever takes the helm of this one. Arguably the greatest bad guy in cinema history, we need to see more of him ASAP, and if the Expanded Universe proved anything, it's that there's a lot of ground here to explore.
1. Obi-Wan Kenobi
The fact that Disney and Lucasfilm haven't already announced this one is baffling to say the least. While the Star Wars comics have started delving into some of Obi-Wan's adventures when he was watching over Luke on Tatooine, there's a lot of story there a movie could cover, and bringing back Ewan McGregor to reprise the role is a must. If fan theories about Rey being his daughter are accurate, then there's an even greater reason for start delving into these lost years.
Plus, while the majority of the action would obviously have to take place on Tatooine, there has to be big new chunks to that planet to explore. It would however be fun to see the return of Jabba the Hutt, not to mention more of the podraces from Episode I. Still, with Obi-Wan now set to appear in Star Wars Rebels, so many gaps are being filled in that it's getting harder and harder to imagine what tales a movie like this could actually tell.
Which of these Star Wars spinoffs would you guys like to see brought to the big screen? Have we missed any other worthy candidates? As always, let us know your thoughts below.